Light bulb container for accommodating at least two light bulbs and a blank for producing such a container

ABSTRACT

A carton box for accomodating at least two light bulbs has two narrow and two broad side walls, of which walls one narrow side wall is extended with a glue or gum flap affixed to the inside of the adjacent broad side wall and end closure flaps. At least a portion of the glue flap is free from the broad side wall and is provided with a partition wall capable of being folded up from the broad side wall to divide the carton into at least two compartments. Arranged in the area of the broad side wall covered by the partition in its pre-raised or incumbent position is an opening through which pressure means can be inserted for raising the partition to a position in which it divides the carton into compartments.

United States Patent [191 Gustafsson Apr. 23, 1974 LIGHT BULB CONTAINERFOR ACCOMMODATING AT LEAST TWO LIGHT BULBS AND A BLANK FOR PRODUCINGSUCH A CONTAINER [75] Inventor: Nils Ake Gustafsson, Halmstad,

[21] Appl. No.: 274,897

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 27, 1971 Sweden 9631/71 7[52] U.S. Cl 229/39 B, 206/65 R [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/02 [58] Field ofSearch 229/39 B, 65 R [56] References Cited 9 UNITED STATES PATENTS2,197,510 4/1940 Ringler 229/39 B X 2,940,653 6/1960 Miessler, Sr 229/39B 3,145,836 8/1964 Tynseck et a]... 229/39 B X 3,321,077 5/1967 Paige229/39 B X 2,905,316 9/1959 Forrer... 229/39 B X 3,069,008 12/1962 Dugre229/39 B X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 644,322 7/1962 Canada 229/39B 951,777 3/1964 Great Britain 229/39 B 301,931 7/1968 Sweden 229/39 BPrimary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. GarbeAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb and Soffen [57] ABSTRACTA carton box for accomodating at least two light bulbs has two narrowand two broad side walls, of which walls one narrow side wall isextended with a glue or gum flap affixed to the inside of the adjacentbroad side wall and end closure flaps. At least a portion of the glueflap is free from the broad side wall and is provided with a partitionwall capable of being folded up from the broad side wall to divide thecarton into at least two compartments. Arranged in the area of the broadside wall covered by the partition in its preraised or incumbentposition is an opening through which pressure means can be inserted forraising the partition to a position in which it divides the carton intocompartments,

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures LIGHT BULB CONTAINER FOR ACCOMMODATING ATLEAST TWO LIGHT BULBS AND A BLANK FOR PRODUCING SUCH A CONTAINER BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a lightbulb container for accomodating at least two light bulbs, comprising twobroad side walls and two narrow side walls, of which walls one narrowside wall is extended with a gum flap attached to the inside of theadjacent broad side wall, the carton further comprising end closureflaps for securing the ends of the carton. The carton of the presentinvention is primarily intended for pearshaped light bulbs of standardsize, having a diameter of 6 cm and a length of 10.5 cm.

A carton constructed in accordance with the invention is mainlycharacterized in that at least a portion of the gum flap is free fromthe broad side wall and is provided with a partition wall capable ofbeing folded up from the broad side wall to divide the carton into atleast two compartments, and that arranged in the area of the broad sidewall covered by the partition in its pre-raised or incumbent position isan opening through which pressure means can be inserted for raising thepartition to a position in which it divides the carton intocompartments.

The carton can be formed integrally from a single piece of material andhas at least one partition member which can be readily raised intoposition when erecting the carton. This considerably simplifies themanufacture of such cartons and their preparation for use. Further, thecarton of the present invention obviates the arrangement of separatebulb shielding means,-since the partition member alone serves to preventphysical contact between the bulbs packed in the carton.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to twoembodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, furtherfeatures of the invention being made apparent in connection therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates ablank for producing a carton intended for two light bulbs, FIG. 2 is asectional view of a carton formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1,the section being taken in the immediate vicinity of one broad wall ofthe carton to show the position of the partition before it is raised todivide the carton into separate compartments, FIG. 3 is an end view ofthe carton illustrated in FIG. 2 with the partition raised, FIG. 4 showsthe same view as FIG. 2 but with two pear-shaped light bulbs inserted inthe carton with the base portions of the bulbs facing in oppositedirections and one end of the carton secured by the end closure flaps,and FIG. 5 illustrates a similar sectional view to FIG. 2 through acarton constructed in accordance with the invention to receive threelight bulbs and having two partition members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES As will be seen from FIG. 1, thecarton blank consists of a number of panels forming two narrow sidewalls 10,12 and two broad side walls 14,16. The two narrow side walls10,12 and one broad side wall 14 are provided with end flaps. The narrowside wall 12 is extended with a rectangular gum flap l8. Hitherto thecarton conforms with a conventional carton.

In accordance with the invention, the gum flap 18 is provided with aflap 20 which forms the mentioned partition member and which can beraised along a fold or score line 22 extending along a portion of thelength of the gum flap.

A transversely extending fold or score line 24 is arranged approximatelyin the center of the partition 20. With the illustrated embodiment, theportion of the flap 20 located beneath the fold line 24, as seen in thedrawing, has the form of a flexible tongue 26, while the portion of theflap located on the opposite side of the fold line is provided with alug 28.

The height of the partition 20 from the fold line 22 to the outer edge30 of the partition is slightly less than the width of the narrow sidewalls 10,12 so that when erecting the carton, the flap can be raised toa position perpendicular to the side wall 14, as shown in FIG. 3.

When erecting the carton, the partition 20 remains in abutment with theside wall 14, as shown in FIG. 2. To facilitate the raising of partition20, the broad side wall 14 is provided with an opening 32 through whichpressure means can be caused to activate the partition to its operativecarton dividing position, as shown in FIG. 3. According to one-aspect ofthe invention, the opening can be so positioned that subsequent toerecting the carton and prior to raising the partition, the opening liesbeneath the partition.

Subsequent to erecting the carton and moving the partition intoposition, the carton is ready to receive two peanshaped light bulbs34,36 which can be inserted into the carton simultaneously from one endthereof with their respective base portions facing each other, as shownin FIG. 4.

The carton is so dimensioned that the distance between the partition 20and one narrow side wall 10 is equal to the height of the narrow sidewalls and roughly equal to the diameter of the light bulbs. One lightbulb, 34, will therefore lie firmly held between the partition 20 andone narrow side wall, 10. As will be seen from FIG. 4, the distancebetween the partition 20 and the other narrow side wall 12 is muchshorter than the distance between the partition and the narrow side wall10 this distance being so small as to deny room for the main body of thebulb but sufficient to accomodate the base portion of the other lightbulb 36.

As will be seen from FIG. 4, the arrangement is such that the two lightbulbs lie obliquely in the carton, thereby utilizing the space availablein the best possible manner.

Insertion of the second light bulb into the carton is facilitated by theflexible tongue 26, which is moved to one side by the bulb upon itsinsertion into the carton and takes the position illustrated in FIG. 4.In this way the bulb is firmly supported by the flexible tongue,movement of which is facilitated by the fold or score line 24. Thetongue also forms an effective shield between the two light bulbs 34,36.

The carton is closed in a known manner by means of the end closureflaps.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the carton according to theinvention constructed to accomodate three light bulbs (not shown).Similarly tothe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the gum flap 38 of thecarton is formed with a partition, 40, which can be lifted about a foldor score line 42. In addition there is formed in a similar manner afurther partition 44 which is freely insertable through a slit46disposed in the gum flap and which is not affixed to the underlyingbroad side wall. The partition46 can be lifted about a fold or scoreline 45.

The two partitions 40,44 can be raised by pressure means acting throughtwo openings 48,50 disposed in the side of the carton, whereafter twolight bulbs can be inserted into the carton with their respective baseportions extending into the carton in the compartments located betweenthe flexible tongues 52,54 of the partitions and adjacent narrow sidewalls. The third light bulb is inserted from the other end of the cartonwith its base portion located between the two partitions 40,44. Thetongues are bent in towards each other to provide room for the lightbulbs, in the same manner as that illustrated in FIG. 4, and form ashield between the bulbs to prevent mutual contact therebetween.

What is claimed is:

l. A light bulb carton for accomodating at least two light bulbs,comprising two narrow and two broad side walls, of which walls onenarrow side wall is extended with a gum flap affixed to the inside ofthe adjacent broad side wall, and end closure flaps, characterized inthat at least a portion of the gum flap is free from the broad side walland forms a partition wall capable of being folded up from the broadside wall to divide the carton into at least two compartments, and thatarranged in the area of the broad side wall covered by the partition inits pre-raised or incumbent position is an opening through whichpressure means can be inserted for raising the partition to a positionin which it divides the carton into compartments.

2. A carton according to claim 1, characterized in that the compartmentsare of different width, the width of the wider compartment beingapproximately equal to the height of the narrow side walls.

3. A carton according to claim' 1, characterized in that at least oneend of the partition is provided with a freely projecting, laterallybendable tongue.

4. A carton according to claim 3, characterized in that the length ofthe tongue is at least a third of the total length of the partition,which is greater than half the distance between the ends of the carton.

5. A carton according to claim 4, characterized in that the free longedge of the gum flap is provided with a raisable partition, that afurther partition of the same design as the aforementioned is formed ata distance in on the gum flap, and that the distance between the pivotconnection points of the two raisable partitions with the gum flap toadjacent narrow side walls is approximately equal to the height of theside wall, while the distance between the pivot connection points isconsiderably shorter than said height.

6. A carton according to claim 1, containing at least two pear-shapedlight bulbs and with which the distance between the broad side walls ofthe carton is approximately equal to the largest diameter of the lightbulbs, characterized in that the base portions of the two juxtaposedbulbs face in opposite directions and that the flexible tongue of thepartition is bent in by the body of the bulb, whose base portion liesnearest the pivot connection of the partition with the gum flap, so thatthe tongue forms an obliquely extending, resilient partition between thetwo main body portions of the bulbs.

7. A carton blank for producing a carton capable of accomodating atleast two pear-shaped light bulbs, comprising panels which can be foldedtogether to form two narrow and two broad side walls in the erectedcondition of the carton, of which walls one narrow side wall forms oneend portion of the blank and is extended with a gum flap, and furthercomprising end closure flaps, characterized in that the gum flap ispivotally connected along a portion'of its length with a partitionforming flap intended to be raised when the carton is erected, to dividethe'carton into a number of compartments.

8. A blank according to claim 7, characterized in that the other end ofthe blank is formed by one of the broad side walls, and that arranged insaid one side wall is an opening so positioned that subsequent toerecting the carton and prior to raising the partition said opening liesbeneath the partition.

9. A blank according to claim 7, characterized in that the width of thegum flap at its pivot connection point with the partition is such thatthe width of the broad side walls minus the width of the gum flap isapproximately equal to the width of the narrow side walls.

1. A light bulb carton for accomodating at least two light bulbs,comprising two narrow and two broad side walls, of which walls onenarrow side wall is extended with a gum flap affixed to the inside ofthe adjacent broad side wall, and end closure flaps, characterized inthat at least a portion of the gum flap is free from the broad side walland forms a partition wall capable of being folded up from the broadside wall to divide the carton into at least two compartments, and thatarranged in the area of the broad side wall covered by the partition inits preraised or incumbent position is an opening through which pressuremeans can be inserted for raising the partition to a position in whichit divides the carton into compartments.
 2. A carton according to claim1, characterized in that the compartments are of different width, thewidth of the wider compartment being approximately equal to the heightof the narrow side walls.
 3. A carton according to claim 1,characterized in that at least one end of the partition is provided witha freely projecting, laterally bendable tongue.
 4. A carton according toclaim 3, characterized in that the length of the tongue is at least athird of the total length of the partition, which is greater than halfthe distance between the ends of the carton.
 5. A carton according toclaim 4, characterized in that the free long edge of the gum flap isprovided with a raisable partition, that a further partition of the samedesign as the aforementioned is formed at a distance in on the gum flap,and that the distance between the pivot connection points of the tworaisable partitions with the gum flap to adjacent narrow side walls isapproximately equal to the height of the side wall, while the distancebetween the pivot connection points is considerably shorter than saidheight.
 6. A carton according to claim 1, containing at least twopear-shaped light bulbs and with which the distance between the broadside walls of the carton is approximately equal to the largest diameterof the light bulbs, characterized in that the base portions of the twojuxtaposed bulbs face in opposite directions and that the flexibletongue of the partition is bent in by the body of the bulb, whose baseportion lies nearest the pivot connection of the partition with the gumflap, so that the tongue forms an obliquely extending, resilientpartition between the two main body portions of the bulbs.
 7. A cartonblank for producing a carton capable of accomodating at least twopear-shaped light bulbs, comprising panels which can be folded togetherto form two narrow and two broad side walls in the erected condition ofthe carton, of which walls one narrow side wall forms one end portion ofthe blank and is extended with a gum flap, and further comprising endclosure flaps, characterized in that the gum flap is pivotally connectedalong a portion of its length with a partition forming flap intended tobe raised when the carton is erected, to divide the carton into a numberof compartments.
 8. A blank according to claim 7, characterized in thatthe other end of the blank is formed by one of the broad side walls, andthat arranged in said one side wall is an opening so positioned thatsubsequent to erecting the carton and prior to raising the partitionsaid opening lies beneath the partition.
 9. A blank according to claim7, characterized in that the width of the gum flap at its pivotconnection point with the partition is such that the width of the broadside walls minus the width of the gum flap is approximately equal to thewidth of the narrow side walls.